Carnegie-Princeton Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Observatories of the Carnegie Institution for Science and the Department of Astrophysical Sciences of Princeton University invite applications for a four-year postdoctoral fellowship in astronomy, to begin in September 2019. The Fellow is expected to work two years at the main offices of the Observatories in Pasadena and two years at Princeton, in an order to be negotiated with the applicant. The Carnegie-Princeton Fellow is expected to carry out original research in any area of astronomy or astrophysics, either independently or in collaboration with staff, faculty or students at the host institutions. The principal selection criteria will be outstanding research accomplishments and promise of future achievement. Preference will be given to researchers working in those areas in which Carnegie and Princeton have active research interests.

The Fellow will have access to all of the resources and facilities of both institutions. In particular: The Carnegie Institution owns and operates the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile, which includes the twin 6.5-meter Magellan telescopes, the 2.5-meter Dupont and 1.0-meter Swope telescopes. Carnegie is also a full institutional member of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV. Based in Pasadena, between the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the California Institute of Technology, the Observatories provide an exceptional intellectual environment and access to resources for theorists, observers, and instrumentalists alike. The Department of Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton is a major partner in the Atacama Cosmology Telescope, the Simons Observatory, and the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope. The department is collaborating with the Japanese astronomical community on large imaging and spectroscopic surveys with the Subaru Telescope, focused on extragalactic astronomy (the Hyper Suprime-Cam survey) and planetary systems around other stars (the Charis survey). In addition, we are heavily involved in planning for the Prime Focus Spectrograph Survey. The successful applicant will have the right to join all these surveys. Together with research groups in other departments in the university and the nearby Institute for Advanced Study, the department offers an unparalleled environment for research in theoretical and observational astrophysics and cosmology.

The fellowship provides support for observing, travel, computing and publications, and the observing and computational facilities will be accessible for the entire duration of the fellowship.

Further information on the host institutions is available at obs.carnegiescience.edu and www.princeton.edu/astro.

Applicants must send curriculum vitae, bibliography, and research plan to BOTH the Observatories and to Princeton via the web at http://www.obs.carnegiescience.edu/fellowships/  AND (https://www.princeton.edu/acad-positions/position/8461) by November 5, 2018. Applications on the Carnegie site should include: a cv, bibliography, a brief essay describing the applicant's current research (up to 3 pages including references), and a research proposal (up to 5 pages including references). Applications on the Princeton site should include: a cv (not to exceed 2 pages excluding publications); and a research statement to include summaries of 2-3 completed/published studies, summary of ongoing work, and summary of proposed research (not to exceed 3 pages total including text, figures and references sited), in accordance with AAS postdoctoral application guidelines. The names and contact information of three references should also be submitted through both of the online application systems. Selection of the successful candidate will be made by a joint Carnegie-Princeton committee. All applicants will automatically be considered for all postdoctoral positions in the Astrophysical Sciences department at Princeton and for the Carnegie Fellowship at The Observatories; however, they should clearly state in the cover letter that they wish to be considered for the Carnegie-Princeton Fellowship. A PhD in Astronomy or a related field is required.

This position is subject to Princeton University’s background check policy. Princeton University and the Carnegie Observatories are equal opportunity employers and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

For questions or additional information, please send email to [email protected] and/or [email protected]. For additional information on the fellowship program at Carnegie, please visit: http://www.obs.carnegiescience.edu/fellowships.